Stow Away Wife

The journey began with an invitation, when Bill received a request to speak about American coal at a conference in Jakarta (Indonesia). While not the coal center of the world, enough mining takes place in the region to warrant a conference and a business development trip. And look! It's ever so close to Bali, the island of alluring beauty and exotic culture.

I don't stow away on many of Bill's trips, what with the vacation limits imposed by employment and continual pressing family matters at home. When an opportunity to travel half-way around the world pops up, to a paradise island, though, I don't hesitate to start packing. The travel plan took shape over a three month span of time. Internet hotel bookings and airplane tickets had to be secured, along with the company's security permission to travel to Jakarta.

For me the invitation became a challenge to put down all the business and worry that I fret over constantly--and needlessly if I'm honest. Whether at home, at work, or away, I find it challenging to experience each day as it comes. This invitation, while requiring a bit of planning, also came with the challenge to have the courage to "jump" beyond the boundaries of my comfort zone.

We flew to LAX and from there to Hong Kong where we faced the challenge of finding the gate for our our connecting flight. The arrival and departure board is only in English for several seconds before flipping to Chinese again. This is where a pro-business traveler comes in handy. Not to mention that Bill has an uncanny sense of direction, is never lost, and nearly unflappable when it comes to gate changes or delays.

One more flight leg to Denpassar airport on the island of Bali from Hong Kong and the long trip half-way aroudn the world is complete. The airport in Denpassar immediately offers the sense of landing inside of a pinball machine.The feeling expanded as the skirted guide from the hotel stacked our luggage on the cart and motioned for us to follow him as he wove through the colorful noisy crowd coming and going and passing left and right in the open air terminal to the parking lot. The hotel car had arrived and waited curbside for us. Luggage stowed in the trunk, our driver sped off into the pinball traffic of Denpassar's busy streets.

Arriving at the hotel, we are welcomed by the warm tones of the Balinese GONG.

The hotel's poolside dinner and entertainment happened to be the night we arrived. We strolled the grounds, unpacked a little, and headed to dinner. The food and dancing introduced us to another world, one very unlike the one we left behind. Drugged by jet lag, our heads bobbled left and right, eyes fluttered open and closed, and sleep overcame us before the show had finished.

We awoke refreshed the next days in our soft island beds. The sea greeted us and we rushed outdoors for a walk. Scenes like this one, of colorful boats, Hindu statues and the promise of a nap in the sun, wakened our senses and drew us further along the shoreline.

The complimentary breakfast was served in this garden of Eden with reflection pools.

After a glorious restful stay at the Hyatt, we headed inland to Ubud, the art center of Bali. This amazing hotel, pictured below, could not have been more fantasy-like (well, maybe fewer stairs to get to our room).

We toured the "cat poo" coffee plantation and learned to roast the beans.

A refreshing fruit beverage chilled us down later at the foot of the volcano.